To Any Looking In

In ministry training we're taught to consider how what we look like, sound like, act like, ect... either invites or repels others.  But I think it's a bit arrogant to assume the world notices religious efforts. So, to be fair, "if (not when) the world thinks 'church', what does it see?"

Lyrics: Jeff Kreh

We rose too early to go and listen to what the Reverend had to say, but there was nothing reverent 'bout the way we sat and stared, taking it in, stifling signs of yesterday, but no signs were given soaking up his page.

Taught to listen, so we all listen, but do we ever try to think or reason how it all applies to this season? Taught to adhere, but we don't come near – don't come near to being Jesus...

Singing the songs, not thinking any thoughts, not praising any cross. Saying the lines, no echo in the mind, looks like a waste of time

Rhyming with the world, day in and out, without any meaningful deeds, so deceived a building fill the need and we justify the cost by sanctifying that which is of no use in the weak but to keep up and compete, losing souls to comfortable seats.

Taught to attend. Must all attend lest we reap the whispered criticisms, known as “one” - still in division. Taught to contribute all that's not our soul...we're not even really whole

Singing the songs, not thinking any thoughts, not praising any cross. Saying the lines, no echo in the mind, looks like a waste of time

To any looking in. 

To any looking in, all they see is sin.

Can't you see the hurt within? Why can't you see the hurt within? 

To any looking in, all they see is sin. 

To any looking in.

Hear

Whether it's marriage or some other lesser relationships, there usually comes a point when one or both wonder "what's the point?"

Lyrics: Jeff Kreh 

“Hear” is the sorrow I can offer

clear all the cobwebs from this brain

and make me whole and sane

in your frame again

my fooled friend

me saying, “I'm sorry

“and want to re-begin”

“Hear” is the power to forgive

signs fade as memory rewinds

and we will find ourselves

in this phase again

my fooled friend

me saying, “I'm sorry

“and want to re-begin”

Somehow in your gaze I fall apart

and still I'm smiling as I start to

realizing that I'm doing it brand new

ah, you

(you) have the power to forgive

signs fade as memory rewinds

and we will find ourselves

in this phase again

“Hear” is the sorrow I can offer

clear all the cobwebs from this brain

and make me whole and sane

in your frame again

my foolish friend

me saying I'm so sorry

and want to re-begin

Ishmael

I remember holding my 4-month old son the day the towers came down. "Normal" sought redefinition, which drove me to the source of things. Genesis really does prove to reveal "the beginnings" of a great many things, including the answer to "just how far back is our present geopolitical upheaval rooted?"

Lyrics: Jeff Kreh

Millions of memories

have flown

since your dear daddy said,

“my only son,

“you must be

“the Promised King

“to this old dying world.”

Ishmael.

Ishmael.

It's time to come back home.

Millions of memories

have flown

since you dear daddy said,

“my beloved son,

“you must be

“the Father King

“to this old dying world.”

Ishmael.

Ishmael.

It's time to come back home.

I sent my only son

your shattered soul to save

and spared you and yours of Abram's blood

of the guilt and the shame

Millions of memories

have flown

since your dear daddy said,

“my son, my son

“you must leave

“so he can be

“the only chosen on.”

Ishmael.

Ishmael.

It's time to come back home.

Ishmael.

Ishmael.

It's time 

Woe, Ishmael, come back

More On "least"

My incredible friend, Jeff Henig, came over to the studio yesterday to help me classify what influences simply jump out from listening to the rough pre-production tracks of "least". Jeff is steeped in music and comes from a different listening background than I do. So, his insights were, well, insightful...

I had no idea that so many artists that I had never really paid attention to (and some I had never heard of) were so influential to the sound that is emerging. Edgar Winter Group... Really? Okay, I'll bite - so, I YouTubed a couple tracks online and found out it's pretty cool. Then there was the reference to Alice Cooper... Still not sure how he fits in. More obvious influences are Keith Green, GLAD, Bruce Hornsby, Billy Joel, etc... But David Bowie?? Really? And after some more YouTubing I'm sold...

But this project is about more than sounds, techniques, arrangements of notes, inflections, and, as it turns out, even more than lyrics. There has been an interest and outpouring of goodwill that I didn't really expect. Cindy, the wife I do not deserve and who deserves so very much better than me, thinks maybe it's because some people see me using a hitherto neglected talent (or at least unused for the past decade or so...) and are happy to encourage me. But I have to believe there is more at work here than anything so "me-centric."

No, what I'm finding is that while the song lyrics are striking an emotional-spiritual chord, the real magic lies in generating relationships. Some relationships are being re-invested, others are being re-discovered, and still others are being discovered for the first time. How cool is that? I mean, here's this highly introverted guy who thought he was perfectly happy and content to be relatively alone...and then relationships start to build and all I can think about is, "wow...here are all these people willing to help me...I wonder how I can ever help them?"

Then it strikes me all over again (from conversations twenty years passed), "life is about relationships." The other day Myles, our 8-year old, and I were driving into town and talking about sharing with those in need. Some people have needs that only others can fill, and for those others their great need is to help fill the needs... The result is proof of life.

I'm not sure yet where I fit into all this, whether I'm in need or filling needs - but I do know that I am enjoying the journey this project is taking me on. I'm enjoying finding that my journey is resonating with others and that others are willing to share their journey with me. It's almost like what I imagine it must have been like to sing ascension songs on the way to Jerusalem or field songs in the 1840's deep South. Sometimes depressing, sometimes exulting, always pressing on to some better destination - but not sacrificing taking in this moment with friends and family.

Thank you for sharing the journey thus far. I'll be posting some more lyrics from the album soon and hope the themes and thoughts are worth your comments.